Monday, June 15, 2015

Monday’s M/M Quick Bites and Giveaway

As M/M Reviewers, between us we have read thousands of m/m romance novels over the years and we would like to share our favourites with you, those reads that have been 4+ stars for us. So every Monday we bring you our Quick Bites, short reviews of our recommended reads.

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! We have four great Quick Bites to brighten up the start of your week from N. R. Walker, Lavinia Lewis, Anne Barwell and Talya Andor. Don’t forget you can can also enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a Kindle eBook of your choice from this weeks Quick Bites.

Elements of Retrofit (Thomas Elkin #1) by N.R. Walker

A successful New York architect, forty-four year old Thomas Elkin almost has it all. An esteemed traditional draftsman, he thought he knew everything about architecture, about life.

Cooper Jones, twenty-two years old, is about to take the architect world by storm. Talented, professional, driven, and completely infuriating, Cooper is the definition of Generation Y.

Generation versus generation, traditional versus contemporary, these men are about to learn a lesson in architecture, egos and love. Can they prove to the world that the old and new can be the perfect design?

Macky’s Quick Bite

Thomas Elkin is 44 and silver fox hot...Cooper Davies is 22, a charmer and cocky in the way confident young up and coming guys of his age are. The first time they meet is when Thomas's son brings him to his dads place for dinner but there's no wham bam instant attraction between the two on that first meeting; it only begins to take form when not long out of the closet Thomas finds out that Cooper has applied to be an intern at his architectural firm and he takes him under his wing. A situation where their mutual love of architecture, and Coopers obvious passion for it draws them together and of course being in close contact the inevitable happens. There's a bit of conflict about the age thing from, more from Thomas's POV but Cooper knows exactly what...or should I say...who he wants—and it's Thomas. He winds him up about being older, but then Thomas gives him just as much back so it's all done in an endearingly witty way that at times cracked me up, as in Coopers eyes age is only a number. Not generally a fan of older man/younger lover stories, I admit to being a bit wary going in, but the sexual tension, chemistry and adorable snark and banter sealed the deal for me and now all three of the series reside on my Kindle's 'Keeper' shelf. Hot, not too angsty and yum sexy times...I thoroughly enjoyed the whole series.

An Indoctrinated Man (Desert Sanctuary #2) by Lavinia Lewis

The Sanctuary—a safe haven for shifters deep in the heart of the Mojave desert. It was established by the government after humans hunted most preternatural species almost to the brink of extinction. The shifters that live at the base lead a somewhat comfortable life…until they are joined by a group of made wolves that contradict everything they thought they knew and threaten to make the already volatile situation between shifters and humans even worse.

Liza’s Quick Bite

The world that Ms. Lewis has created with this series is slightly different from others, but it makes it all the more enjoyable. In this world humans know about shifters and fear them, so most shifters are hunted. Many of them live in what is teasingly referred to as the old Area 51, but there are no aliens in this story.

Erik has been living at the sanctuary for a while. He hates people, has few friends and definitely doesn't want to meet his mate. Unfortunately, when he does, he finds out that Clark has more than a few secrets of his own and incidentally doesn't want a mate either. If you love growly Alpha types this is a perfect short read - the sex is hot, the angst is real but not overdone and the story can be read as standalone although I think this is book 2 in the series.

Shadowboxing (Echoes #1) by Anne Barwell

Berlin, 1943. An encounter with an old friend leaves German physicist Dr. Kristopher Lehrer with doubts about his work. But when he confronts his superior, everything goes horribly wrong. Suddenly Kristopher and Michel, a member of the Resistance, are on the run, hunted for treason and a murder they did not commit. If they’re caught, Kristopher’s knowledge could be used to build a terrible weapon that could win the war.

When Michel contacts the Allies, hoping they can work together, it isn’t long before the so-called “simple” mission becomes anything but. With both men realizing they can no longer ignore their growing feelings for each other, Kristopher and Michel must fight—not just for a chance of a future together, but for their very survival.

Mark’s Quick Bite

WWII is understandably not everyone’s favourite period of history for all the obvious reasons, let alone when someone tries to write a romance in this period as there was nothing romantic about it for sure. However, in a time when emotions and the stakes were high Anne Barwell manages to write a convincing M/M romance full of nail-biting action at a time when you could only really ever live for the present as trying to build and plan a future was next to impossible. That for me was one of the main messages that runs through this book, live for and enjoy every moment of the present as tomorrow is too uncertain to worry or even think about.

I just loved the whole concept of this book from beginning to end. Realistic scenarios, resistance fighters and nail-biting situations where you feared for their lives. The book ends with a kind of closure, so could be read and left there, but this is the first part of a trilogy and I for one need to know whether Michel and Kristopher reach safety and if they’re chances of a future together can be realised.

Signal to Noise (Psionic Frequency Book 1) by Talya Andor

It's been three years since the Incursion; three long years since Bastian and his twin brother Theo became the sole survivors on the planet Noise. Their distress calls have gone unanswered, and they are running out of supplies. They have no one but each other. And when the long-awaited rescue finally arrives, it brings with it complications that make being alone and forgotten look easy.Please note that this story features incest.

Monique’s Quick Bite

I loved this book… what a fabulous, fast paced, sci-fi, action thriller of a ride it was. The imagery was vivid, like watching a movie, with all the elements that keep you captivated and on the edge of your seat… I was on pins, literally, wondering what was around the next corner.

This book is more about survival against the odds than an m/m romance, however, the stars for me were the gun-toting psionic twins; Bastian, all lip gloss and eyeliner and Theo his fiercely protective twin brother. At sixteen, these two boys are in an established relationship. I know twincest is a big no-no for some readers, but I have to say, as the only survivors on a lonely hostile planet swarming with aliens, Talya Andor gave their intimate connection credibility. The book is paced perfectly; the key elements to the aliens and the hows, whys and wherefores of the boys survival are drip fed into the storyline as we see them once again face danger. But now the threat to their lives, lies not only from the aliens, but also the recon team that should be their saviours.

What a great read, I’m off to d/l book #2 in the series… definitely recommended!